About the school
Belfast Royal Academy, often known as BRA, is a co-educational, non-denominational voluntary grammar school in north Belfast, educating pupils aged 11 to 18, with its own preparatory department. It is regarded as the oldest school in the city and has strong academic, musical and sporting traditions.
Founded in 1785 as the Belfast Academy, it received its "Royal" title in 1888, and moved to its current site on the Cliftonville Road in 1880. Its motto, "Do Justly, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly," reflects its values of integrity, compassion and humility, and the school has particular strengths in STEM subjects.
Belfast Royal Academy is a member school of the Schools’ Entrance Assessment Group and selects pupils through the SEAG Entrance Assessment for Year 8 entry. Each year, 200 pupils are admitted into Form 1.
School type
Co-Educational Voluntary Grammar
Exam date
Sat 14th & Sat 21st November 2026 (SEAG)
Exam board
SEAG (GL Assessment)
Address
5-17 Cliftonville Road, Belfast, County Antrim, BT14 6JL
Age range
11–18 (Years 8–14)
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Admissions information
The Belfast Royal Academy entrance test is the SEAG Entrance Assessment, used by grammar schools across Northern Ireland. Here is everything you need to know about the Belfast Royal Academy admissions criteria and exam structure.
Belfast Royal Academy selects pupils on academic ability through the SEAG Entrance Assessment, the single transfer test used by the great majority of grammar schools in Northern Ireland. The assessment is provided by GL Assessment on behalf of the Schools’ Entrance Assessment Group and consists of two papers, each assessing English (or Gaeilge) and Mathematics.
Each of the two papers lasts 60 minutes and contains a mix of multiple-choice and free-response questions, with answers recorded on a separate answer sheet. The papers are taken on two Saturdays a week apart, and a pupil’s marks across both papers are combined into a Total Standardised Age Score (TSAS), which is age-standardised so that younger children are not disadvantaged.
Parents register their child to sit the SEAG Entrance Assessment online through the SEAG website. For September 2027 entry, registration opens on Monday 18th May 2026 and closes on Friday 18th September 2026. Parents must then name Belfast Royal Academy on their Education Authority Post-Primary Transfer Form during the open application period.
SEAG Statements of Outcomes are released to parents on Saturday 23rd January 2027, after which families list their preferred schools through the Education Authority. The Education Authority informs parents of their child’s allocated school in May 2027. A high TSAS does not guarantee a place, as places are allocated in strict rank order when a school is oversubscribed.
Key admissions details
Belfast Royal Academy admits 200 pupils into Form 1 (Year 8) each year.
Belfast Royal Academy does not operate a geographical catchment area. Places are allocated using the SEAG Total Standardised Age Score, subject to the overriding priority given to pupils normally resident in Northern Ireland, with criteria such as preparatory department pupils, siblings and free school meals used to decide tied places.
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Belfast Royal Academy is located at 5-17 Cliftonville Road in north Belfast, County Antrim, BT14 6JL. It is a co-educational, non-denominational voluntary grammar school, regarded as the oldest school in the city, serving pupils aged 11 to 18.
Belfast Royal Academy was founded in 1785 as the Belfast Academy and is regarded as the oldest school in Belfast. It received its "Royal" title in 1888 and moved to its current Cliftonville Road site in 1880.
Belfast Royal Academy uses the SEAG Entrance Assessment, provided by GL Assessment. It consists of two papers, each lasting 60 minutes and assessing English (or Gaeilge) and Mathematics, taken on two Saturdays a week apart.
Belfast Royal Academy does not operate a geographical catchment area. Places are allocated by SEAG score, with priority given to pupils normally resident in Northern Ireland, and tie-break criteria such as siblings and free school meals applied where needed.
For September 2027 entry, registration for the SEAG Entrance Assessment opens on Monday 18th May 2026 and closes on Friday 18th September 2026, through the SEAG website. Parents must then name Belfast Royal Academy on the Education Authority Transfer Form.
Yes. Belfast Royal Academy has its own preparatory department for younger pupils, and children currently enrolled there are given priority in the grammar school’s tie-break criteria, though entry to Form 1 is still based first on the SEAG score.
Yes, all our tuition is available both in-person at our Edgbaston, Birmingham centre and online via live video sessions. Online tuition gives families across Northern Ireland and the wider region access to our expert tutors without the need to travel. The quality and personalisation of sessions is identical in both formats.
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